€108,000 awarded in funding to early stage researchers

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In 2017 the Marine Institute awarded €108,000 in grant-aid funding under the Marine Institute's Networking & Travel Awards. This initiative is funded under the Marine Research Programme with the support of the Irish Government.

The awards were made available to provide assistance for appropriate networking activities that support the goals of Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth; these awards also constitute an important instrument in the implementation of the National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy 2017-2021, which was launched in June this year. Since 2014, 41 participating Irish marine organisations have successfully partnered in 77 marine-related EU projects bringing a minimum of €29.7 million in EU grant-aid to Ireland. Our competitive record represents 7percent of the total available drawdown for Ireland for a range of research, development and innovation projects.

Veronica Cunningham from the Office of Marine Research & Development details that the main focus of the Networking & Travel Awards is to give early stage researchers, post-graduate students, research assistants and intern staff an opportunity to present their marine research to an international audience, network with international marine experts and disseminate research carried out in Ireland on the global stage. Seventy-seven applicants received travel awards for this purpose. A further nine awards were made in support of hosting marine conferences or workshops in Ireland and for the establishment of international networks for leveraging marine funding. A final eight awards were for the mobility of research expertise by SMEs for the transfer of knowledge in science and technology towards the development of the marine sector. Giving a total of 94 awards made. Next year's call will open in mid-January 2018.

At the Marine Institute we carry out research, stimulate, fund and coordinate marine research and innovation programmes to support the sustainable development of Ireland's marine resources. For further information on funding from the Marine Institute's Research Funding Programme see the Institute's website and follow us on twitter @MIfundingoffice and @MarineInst.

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About Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth

Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (July 2012) sets out a roadmap to enable Ireland's marine potential to be realised through a coordinated system of Government policy and programme planning.

Vision and Goals

"Our ocean wealth will be a key element of our economic recovery and sustainable growth, generating benefits for all our citizens, supported by coherent policy, planning and regulation and managed in an integrated manner."

Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth has three high-level goals, of equal importance, based on the concept of sustainable development:

  • Goal 1 focuses on a thriving maritime economy, whereby Ireland harnesses the market opportunities to achieve economic recovery and socially inclusive, sustainable growth.
  • Goal 2 sets out to achieve healthy ecosystems that provide monetary and non-monetary goods and services (e.g. food, climate, health and well-being).
  • Goal 3 aims to increase our engagement with the sea. Building on our rich maritime heritage, our goal is to strengthen our maritime identity and increase our awareness of the value (market and non-market), opportunities and social benefits of engaging with the sea.